PGCBL
spotlight: Jayson Yano
Righthanded
pitcher and second baseman Jayson Yano threw three consecutive
complete games for the Newark Pilots from mid-June to early July. In
those three games – against Glens Falls, Watertown and Albany –
the 6-foot, 170-pound athlete tossed 22 innings allowing only two
earned runs while posting a sparkling 16-to-2 strikeout-to-walk
ratio.
Yano
opened the season in the Pilots' bullpen before being move to the
starting rotation. He made his fourth start of the year on Monday
night against second-place Elmira in the West Division, and while he
didn't go the distance, he did pick up the win.
On
the year Yano is now 4-1 in 30 1/3 innings of work with a 1.48 ERA.
He has allowed only 25 hits and three walks with 21 strikeouts.
Control
is clearly the strength for the young righthander, pounding the lower
half of the strike zone with a sinking fastball that hovers
consistently at 87 mph and can reach 88-89 at times. Yano has also
shown great improvement with his slider, and overall shows a great
aptitude for pitching.
Yano
also led his college team, the Stevens Institute of Technology, with
a .342 batting average this past spring and stole 16 bases in 18
attempts. His command of the strike zone was equally obvious in the
batter's box, as he struck out just once in 152 plate appearances.
On
the mound during the spring he went 5-3 with a 1.62 ERA, striking out
46 and walking only 10 in 50 innings of work. That included a
complete game shutout in the CUNYAC semifinals (the team won the 2014
CUNYAC Championship) as well as the Stevens Ducks' first-ever victory
in the NCAA Division III New York Regional.
Yano
was named a ECAC Division III Metro All-Star for his success on the
mound, at the plate and on the field as a sure-handed defender at
second base.

Cape
Cod League notes
Cody
Ponce,
RHP, Cal Poly Pomona – You may not know much about Ponce now, but
in time the whole scouting world is going to be aware of this
6-foot-6, strongly built right-hander. He’s been one of the true
revelations of the Cape so far, showing off a legitimate four pitch
mix, led by a 91-95 mph fastball with late life. Ponce’s most
impressive pitch in his latest start may have been his hard, late
biting 85-86 mph slider with two plane action. He doesn’t throw it
as often as his 78-81 mph curveball, but it’s going to be the pitch
that nets him swings and misses at the next level. The fact that he
can also locate an 80-82 mph change clearly makes him one of the more
fascinating college prospects on the summer scene right now. This is
a first round pick in the making.
Kyle
Cody,
RHP, Kentucky – Of all the currently active pitchers on the Cape,
Cody may have the strongest case for being the league’s top
pitching prospect. The aforementioned Ponce may be his closest
competition, and newcomers like Walker Buehler and Josh Sborz will
soon make their cases, but right now Cody is the reigning champ, so
to speak. The towering 6-foot-7 righty stumbled out of the gate in
his first two starts, but has followed that up with two outstanding
outings in a row. Armed with a low effort, downhill 92-96 mph
fastball, Cody has done a much better job of late of pounding the
lower quadrants of the zone. But, his ability to mix and spot his
84-86 mph changeup has likely been the biggest difference maker. He
hasn’t thrown quite as many of his above average 82-84 mph sliders
(which actually have more of a curveball break), and his changeup has
given him a real weapon against left-handed batters. He’s been as a
complete a package as a scout could ask for his last two times out.
Mikey
White,
SS, Alabama – White has certainly come a long way in the last year,
adding significant strength and becoming a force at the plate. We
already knew about his smooth shortstop actions and athleticism, but
his emergence at the plate has put him high on scouts’ radar
screens. He’s popped three home runs already and been one of the
Cape’s most consistent hitters. His added power stroke and ability
against more advanced pitching could make him just the medicine this
crop of college players needs as premium position players become more
scarce.

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